Orgy
Category: Electro / EDM / Rock
Album: Talk Sick EP
Stars: 1.5
Blurb: Weak lyrical content on top of overly familiar production stylings and song structures make this comeback EP from a once distinguished act a disappointment.

When any band continues under the banner of a single member, there is bound to be a fair amount of criticism and dissent on the part of an audience that would prefer a reformation of the original lineup; of course, this has done little to faze Jay Gordon as he carries on the Orgy name with the Talk Sick EP being a prime example of his resolve to take the band in a new direction. While 2012’s “Grime of the Century” was but a hint of where that direction would lead, the seven songs on this EP demonstrate his propensity to incorporate a more heavily electronic element than was ever present in the band’s past, undoubtedly inspired – at least, in this writer’s estimation, partially – by his own EDM predilections with Kill-O-Watt, along with the simple human need to shed the trappings of the past and bring Orgy into the present. With the new lineup featuring guitarists Carlton Bost (The Dreaming, Lunarclick, Deadsy, et al.) and Creighton Emrick, bassist Nic Speck, and drummer Bobby Amaro, Talk Sick strives to be an energetic and modern spin on the death/pop electro-meets-nü metal sound of old, and indeed, from the onset of the opening title track, this would seem to be the case as squelching synths mesh with equally aggressive guitars amid an infectiously danceable beat, Gordon’s highly melodic voice indulging in some less-than-subtle wordplay that will surely remind many fans of the likes of past hits like “Suckerface” or “Dissention,” albeit with the production finesse of modern EDM/electro. Tracks like “Wide Awake and Dead” and “Spells” certainly shine with instantly catchy choruses that are almost impossible not to sing along with, while the marching rhythms and throbbing bass of “Come Back” plays well with Gordon’s rapid-fire vocal attack that would have easily fit on any past Orgy release, the skittering synth and guitar matching pace as the song progresses. On a musical level, “G Face” is perhaps the clearest indication of Orgy’s newfound embrace of the current trends of EDM in mainstream pop and rock music, complete with a soft piano-led bridge and choppy drumbeats suitable for a sporting event rally; not that this is a bad thing, except that it finds the band following rather than forging the trends of the day. Similarly, the heavily manipulated backup vocals that pervade the familiar melodies and progressions of “Monster In Me,” while well executed, are all-too-common and do little to differentiate Orgy’s take on these styles. Topping off Talk Sick’s weaknesses is Jay Gordon himself, his voice bearing a much more nasal tonality than it ever did, which becomes quite difficult to endure as the EP progresses. But worse than that is his lyrical content, with “Suck It” being the worst offender for its brazen misogynist bent as he unapologetically sings, “Don’t fight it, let me in, I don’t need another friend, we can fuck the night away,” and “I don’t want to love you, sex and lies is what I do;” intentionally trashy though it may be, it lacks in any sense of irony and comes across as rather tasteless. Add to that the references to Red Bull giving him wings, Jedi with light sabers, and a near constant use of the word “bitch” to refer to women, and Gordon’s lyrics tend to come across as a tad bit juvenile, leading this writer to question just what audience he is attempting to reach with this new version of Orgy. It’s a shame, actually, because the Talk Sick EP is strong in its production and overall arrangement; the songs, while not groundbreaking, are constructed well for what they are (albeit with a certain repetition of structure that can grow tiresome after repeated listens), showing that this lineup is more than capable of making a record that sounds good. Alas, the weakest link in this band is the very component that holds it together. Of course, bearing this in mind, it’s doubtful that even referring to this version of Orgy under a different moniker would have helped cure any of the Talk Sick EP’s shortcomings.

4 Comments

I would never have called them a distinguished band. They were never good to begin with. The only song anyone really knows about them is a mediocre New Order cover.
Giving them any cred, takes away any you have a reviewer.
Just saying my opinion here, but I dont feel they even deserved the long review you did. I think a paragraph would have summed it up nicely and with one less star.

Like it or not, Orgy is a multi-platinum selling band that was once upon a time a big deal.
Some people have loved this, and some people hate it even more than I do. So, my having an opinion that is a little less vitriolic than yours while acknowledging the band’s past successes removes my credibility as a reviewer?

Success doesnt equate to being good. You can take Justin Beiber, Milli Vanilli and many others who have sold a lot of records, but it doesn’t mean they are good.
Skinny Puppy has never sold millions of albums, but they are far more talented, influential and ground breaking than Orgy ever was or will be.
I just am honest about how I see things. I dont candy coat things. You may call it vitriolic, I just call it being honest.

That’s not the point – obviously, Skinny Puppy is superior in terms of innovation and influence, nor does success equate being good.
I happen to have liked some of Orgy’s past material… not most of it, but the band was interesting once upon a time, and while the success they had doesn’t necessarily make it good, it doesn’t mean they’re undistinguished.
Not all of Orgy’s past material was bad… most of it, sure, but not all. You may have thought so, but that’s your opinion.
To disclaim someone else’s credibility because they found something good that you didn’t… that’s not honesty; that’s just plain rude. You have your opinion, and you’re entitled to it. But to basically say, “Your opinion has no merit because I don’t agree with it” is beyond foolish, close-minded, and shows an even greater lack of credibility on your part. You are free to dislike what you wish, and you can say, “I disagree.” But to say I have no credibility ‘cuz I have an opinion that differs from yours?
Hell, you could have simply said, “I never liked the band and I think you’re giving them more credit than they ever deserved.”
Nope… I have no credibility. Whatever.

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